Over 200 experts call for AI development to benefit humanity
More than 200 leading economists and AI experts, including Nobel laureates, have issued a joint call for steering the development of artificial intelligence to benefit humanity. They warn of potential societal impacts.
Over 200 prominent economists and AI experts, including 16 Nobel laureates, have made a joint appeal to guide the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in a direction that benefits humanity. The initiative was spearheaded by economists Erik Brynjolfsson, Ajay Agrawal, Anton Korinek, and Tom Cunningham.
The signatories warn that AI could become significantly more powerful in the next decade and may trigger an economic transformation unprecedented in scale, potentially surpassing the industrial revolution within a much shorter timeframe. While acknowledging AI's potential to raise living standards, they highlighted risks such as widespread job losses. The group stressed the necessity of implementing safeguards to ensure AI assists workers and benefits society broadly.
The appeal notes that AI's capabilities are advancing rapidly, potentially outpacing scientific understanding and governments' ability to adapt policies. This concern echoes a recent report from a UN independent scientific panel, which also cautioned about the risks accompanying AI's rapid progress, alongside its opportunities.
The experts emphasize the need for active guidance of AI's trajectory to ensure its deployment serves the common good. They call for evidence-based governance and the development of control mechanisms for increasingly autonomous AI systems.